Apparatus to provide an adjustable mechanism for radial ultrasound port and flush port

ABSTRACT

The present disclosure relates generally to the field of medical devices. In particular, the present disclosure relates to an assembly with an adjustable ultrasound port and flush port for lateral and axial positioning of a radial ultrasound probe within a patient.

RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims the benefit of priority under 35 U.S.C. § 119 to U.S. Provisional Application No. 62/849,311, titled “Devices to Access Peripheral Regions of the Lung for Direct Visualization with Tool Attachment”, filed on May 17, 2019, the entirety of which is incorporated herein by reference.

This application claims the benefit of priority under 35 U.S.C. § 119 to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62/849,649, titled “Apparatus to Provide an Adjustable Mechanism for Radial Ultrasound Port and Flush Port”, filed on May 17, 2019, the entirety of which is incorporated herein by reference.

This application claims the benefit of priority under 35 U.S.C. § 119 to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62/849,307, titled “Radial Ultrasound Needle Biopsy Devices”, filed on May 17, 2019, the entirety of which is incorporated herein by reference.

FIELD

The present disclosure relates generally to the field of medical devices. In particular, the present disclosure relates to an assembly with an adjustable ultrasound port and flush port for lateral and axial positioning of a radial ultrasound probe within a patient.

BACKGROUND

A port for a radial ultrasound catheter may lack the ability to maintain visual imaging of pulmonary nodules within the peripheral regions of the lung while simultaneously repositioning a port for a radial ultrasound probe and/or port for flushing fluid through a lumen or lumens of the radial ultrasound catheter housing the same.

A variety of advantageous medical outcomes may therefore be realized by the adjustable assemblies, systems and methods of use thereof, of the present disclosure.

SUMMARY

In one aspect, the present disclosure relates to an adjustable probe assembly comprising a housing defining an internal chamber. An ultrasound port may be formed within a proximal portion of the housing. The ultrasound port may be coextensive with the internal chamber. A flush port may be disposed along a middle portion of the housing. The flush port may define a fluid channel therethrough. The fluid channel may be coextensive with the internal chamber. A fitting may be disposed around a distal portion of the housing. The housing may be configured to rotate relative to the fitting to alter an axial position of the flush port relative to the fitting.

In the described and other embodiments, an outer surface of the distal portion of the housing may include a surface feature configured to frictionally engage an inner surface of the fitting. The fitting may include a projection. A first seal may be disposed within a distal portion of the internal chamber. A second seal may be disposed within a proximal portion of the internal chamber. A bearing may be disposed within a proximal portion of the internal chamber and proximal to the second seal. The housing and ultrasound port may be configured to receive a radial ultrasound probe therethrough. The bearing may be configured to support rotation of the radial ultrasound probe. The radial ultrasound probe may include a drive cable. The drive cable may extend through the ultrasound port and may be supported by the bearing. The radial ultrasound probe may include a sheath. A proximal end of the sheath may be disposed within the housing between the first and second seals. The housing may be configured to rotate relative to the fitting to alter an axial position of the radial ultrasound probe. The proximal portion of the housing may be configured to rotate relative to a remaining portion of the housing to alter an axial position of the radial ultrasound probe.

In another aspect, the present disclosure relates to a system comprising a handle of a catheter. An adjustable probe assembly may be attached to the handle. The adjustable probe assembly may be configured to move laterally and axially relative to the handle. A radial ultrasound probe may extend through the adjustable probe assembly, the handle and a shaft of the catheter.

In the described and other embodiments, the adjustable probe assembly may include a housing defining an internal chamber. An ultrasound port may be formed within a proximal portion of the housing. A flush port may be disposed along a middle portion of the housing. The radial ultrasound probe may include a drive cable. The drive cable may extend through the ultrasound port. The flush port may include a fluid channel configured to deliver fluid into the internal chamber and through a sheath of the radial ultrasound probe. A first seal may be disposed within a distal portion of the internal chamber. A second seal may be disposed within a proximal portion of the internal chamber. The first and second seals may prevent fluid introduced through the flush port from exiting the internal chamber.

In yet another aspect, the present disclosure relates to a method comprising attaching an adjustable probe assembly to a handle of a catheter such that a radial ultrasound probe attached to the adjustable probe assembly may extend through the handle and a shaft of the catheter. A lateral position of the adjustable probe assembly may be adjusted relative to the handle. An axial position of the adjustable probe assembly may be adjusted relative to the handle.

In the described and other embodiments, a lateral position of the adjustable probe assembly may be re-adjusted relative to the handle to alter a lateral position of the radial ultrasound probe within a lumen of the catheter shaft. A housing of the adjustable probe assembly may be rotated relative to the handle to rotate the radial ultrasound probe within the lumen of the catheter. A housing of the adjustable probe assembly may be rotated relative to the handle to alter an axial position of a flush port disposed along a middle portion of the housing relative to the handle. A fluid may be introduced through the flush port and into an internal chamber of the adjustable probe assembly.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Non-limiting embodiments of the present disclosure are described by way of example with reference to the accompanying figures, which are schematic and not intended to be drawn to scale. In the figures, each identical or nearly identical component illustrated is typically represented by a single numeral. For purposes of clarity, not every component is labeled in every figure, nor is every component of each embodiment shown where illustration is not necessary to allow those of ordinary skill in the art to understand the disclosure. In the figures:

FIGS. 1A-1B provide perspective (FIG. 1A) and cross-sectional (FIG. 1B) views of an adjustable probe assembly, according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

FIGS. 2A-2B provide perspective (FIG. 2A) and cross-sectional (FIG. 2B) views of a radial ultrasound probe disposed within an adjustable probe assembly, according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

FIGS. 3A-3D provide cross-sectional (FIG. 3A) and perspective (FIGS. 3B-3D views of an adjustable probe assembly attached to a handle of a catheter with radial ultrasound and needle biopsy capability, according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The present disclosure is not limited to the particular embodiments described herein. The terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only, and is not intended to be limiting beyond the scope of the appended claims. Unless otherwise defined, all technical terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which the disclosure belongs.

Although embodiments of the present disclosure are described with specific reference to probe assemblies, systems and methods of use thereof, and particularly leak-proof assemblies, which include an adjustable ultrasound port and/or flush port designed to maintain visual imaging of a peripheral pulmonary nodule while allowing lateral and/or axial repositioning of the radial ultrasound probe and/or flush port, it should be appreciated that such probe assemblies, systems and methods may be used to visualize and manipulate a variety of tissues within a variety of different body lumens and/or body passages.

As used herein, the singular forms “a,” “an,” and “the” are intended to include the plural forms as well, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. It will be further understood that the terms “comprises” and/or “comprising,” or “includes” and/or “including” when used herein, specify the presence of stated features, regions, steps elements and/or components, but do not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, regions, integers, steps, operations, elements, components and/or groups thereof.

As used herein, the term “distal” refers to the end farthest away from the medical professional or physician when introducing a device into a patient, while the term “proximal” refers to the end closest to the medical professional or physician when introducing a device into a patient.

In various embodiments, the present disclosure relates generally to an adjustable and leak-proof probe assembly configured for use with a bronchial radial ultrasound system to provide real-time imaging and targeting of difficult to access pulmonary nodules. For example, the adjustable probe assembly may include an adjustable ultrasound port and flush port configured to allow a physician to laterally (e.g., along a longitudinal axis) and/or axially (e.g., about or around a longitudinal axis) position/reposition components of the bronchial radial ultrasound system (e.g., ultrasound probe, flush port and/or probe assembly) within a peripheral region of the lung while maintaining a leak-proof seal to simultaneously flush fluid through a lumen of a radial ultrasound probe.

Referring to FIGS. 1A-1B, in one embodiment, an adjustable probe assembly 100 of the present disclosure may include a housing 110 defining an internal chamber 111. An ultrasound port 112 (e.g., first port) may be formed within or otherwise extend through a proximal portion of the housing 110. In various embodiments, the ultrasound port 112 may be coextensive (e.g., substantially aligned with, etc.) with the internal chamber 111. A flush port 114 (e.g., second port) defining a fluid channel 115 therethrough may be disposed along (e.g., attached to, integrally formed with, etc.) a middle portion of the housing 110. A fitting 116 may be disposed around a distal portion of the housing 110. In various embodiments, the housing 110 may be configured to rotate 360° (e.g., move axially) within the fitting 116 to alter a position of the flush port 114 relative to a longitudinal axis of the adjustable assembly 100 and/or rotate (e.g., alter an axial position of) a radial ultrasound probe extending through the housing 110 (as discussed below). An outer surface of the distal portion of the housing may include a surface feature 118 configured to frictionally engage a corresponding inner surface of the fitting 116. By way of non-limiting example, the surface feature may include a rubber seal or O-ring configured to maintain or lock an axial position of the housing 110 relative to the fitting 116 until a threshold level of rotational force is exerted on the housing 110 (e.g., a sufficient amount of force exerted by a physician's hand). In various embodiments, an outer surface of the housing 110 and/or flush port 114 may include a non-slip surface (e.g., over-molded or coated with rubber, etc.) to provide a physician with sufficient grip to manipulate the housing 110, e.g., when wearing wet gloves, etc. An arm or projection 120 may extend from an outer surface of the fitting 116 to anchor or lock the housing of the probe assembly within a handle 140 of a catheter with radial ultrasound and needle biopsy capability (FIG. 3A).

In one embodiment, a first seal 122 (e.g., O-ring, etc.) may be disposed within a distal portion of the internal chamber 111 (e.g., proximal to a distal opening of the housing 110) and a second seal 124 may be disposed within a proximal portion of the internal chamber 111 (e.g., distal to a proximal opening of the housing 110). The first and second seals 122, 124 may be configured to prevent fluid introduced (e.g., flushed) through the fluid channel 115 of the flush port 114 from exiting the internal chamber 111 (e.g., flowing/leaking distally beyond the first seal 122 or proximally beyond the second seal 124). A bearing 126 may be disposed within the proximal portion of the internal chamber 111 proximal to the second seal 124. In various embodiments, the housing 110 and ultrasound port 112 may be configured to receive a proximal portion of a radial ultrasound probe 130 therethrough (FIG. 2A-2B). The bearing 126 may be configured to receive an outer surface of the radial ultrasound probe 130 to support/facilitate rotation of the radial ultrasound probe 130 within the housing 110.

Referring to FIGS. 2A-2B, in one embodiment, a proximal portion of a radial ultrasound probe 130 may extend through the ultrasound port 112 and internal chamber 111 of the housing 110. In various embodiments, the radial ultrasound probe 130 may include a drive cable 132 rotatably disposed within a sheath 134. A radial ultrasound transducer (not shown) may be attached to a distal end of the drive cable 132, e.g., to provide an ultrasound image within a body lumen. A proximal portion of the drive cable 132 may extend through the probe assembly 100, including the internal chamber 111, and beyond a proximal end of the housing 110 to connect to an external motor drive unit (MDU). In addition, a proximal end of the sheath 134 may extend into the internal chamber 111 such that an open proximal end of the sheath 134 is disposed between the first and second seals 122, 124. A distal portion of the radial ultrasound probe (e.g., drive cable 132 and sheath 134) may extend beyond a distal end of the housing 110, e.g., through a handle 140 of a catheter with radial ultrasound and needle biopsy capability (FIGS. 3A-3D) and a lumen of a dual-lumen shaft (not shown) attached to the catheter handle. The MDU may be configured to rotate the drive cable 132 at the requisite high-speed of rotation within the internal chamber 111 and throughout the full length of the sheath 134 to impart the requisite high speed of rotation to the radial ultrasound transducer. In various embodiments, the bearing 126 may be configured to dampen, insulate or otherwise minimize noise, vibrations or other outside forces acting on the housing 110 that might interfere with or corrupt the ultrasound signal propagated through the radial ultrasound probe 130 (e.g., along/through drive cable 132). In addition, or alternatively, the proximal portion of the housing, e.g., which includes the ultrasound port 112, may include a support structure configured to eliminate or reduce bending or kinking of the proximal portion of the radial ultrasound probe 130 (e.g., sheath 134 and/or drive cable 132) and/or dampen outside forces, which may impair or otherwise negatively affect ultrasound image quality.

Referring to FIGS. 3A-3D, in one embodiment, a system 200 of the present disclosure may include an adjustable probe assembly 100 disposed within handle 140 of a catheter with radial ultrasound and needle biopsy capability. A radial ultrasound probe 130 may extend through the housing 110 such that a drive cable of the radial ultrasound probe may be connected to an external MDU and a distal portion of the radial ultrasound probe may extend through a shaft (e.g., a dual-lumen shaft) of a catheter (not shown) attached to a distal end of the handle 140. In various embodiments, the dual-lumen catheter may extend through a working channel of an endoscope, e.g., within a body lumen of a patient. In various embodiments, the adjustable probe assembly 100 may be configured to move laterally and/or axially relative to (e.g., within) the handle 140. For example, the arm or projection 120 may be disposed between first and second surface features 142, 144 extending from an inner wall of the handle 140. In various embodiments, the first surface feature 142 may define an opening configured to receive a corresponding lock button/tab to lock a needle slider associated with the handle 140 in position, while surface 144 is a boundary of the handle where the probe assembly exits the handle proximally. A lateral position of the probe assembly 100 within the handle 140 may be varied by moving (e.g., sliding) the housing 110 distally and proximally between the first and second surface features 142, 144. In various embodiments, the lateral position of the probe assembly within the handle 140 may provide (e.g., set) the desired length of the radial ultrasound probe extending through and distal to the end of a lumen of the dual-lumen catheter. For example, the lateral position of the probe assembly 100 within the handle 140 may be set or adjusted to vary the position of a radial ultrasound transducer at the distal end of the radial ultrasound probe relative to a distal end of the shaft (e.g., dual-lumen shaft) of the catheter within which the radial ultrasound probe is housed. In one embodiment, the ability to alter/adjust a lateral position of the probe assembly 110 within the handle 140 may provide a physician with fine-tune lateral control of the radial ultrasound probe within and extending from the dual-lumen catheter (e.g., to adjust the location of the radial ultrasound probe relative to a target pulmonary nodule) without adjusting/altering the position of the catheter handle within the working channel of the endoscope, or the position of the endoscope itself through which the dual-lumen catheter of the handle 140 extends. In various embodiments, a set-screw or other locking member (not shown) may extend through a wall of the handle 140 to engage/contact an outer surface of the fitting 116 to lock/secure the housing 110 at the desired lateral position within the handle 140. With the position of the radial ultrasound transducer set (e.g., relative to the distal end of the dual-lumen catheter), the handle 140, and probe assembly 100 attached thereto, may be distally advanced and/or proximally retracted to distally advance and/or proximally retract the dual-lumen catheter within/through the endoscope working channel, e.g., to advance the radial ultrasound transducer into the peripheral regions of the lung using ultrasound guidance. In addition, the housing 110 may be rotated relative to the handle 140 to axially rotate the radial ultrasound probe within the dual-lumen catheter. The proximal portion of the housing (e.g., defining the ultrasound port 112) may also be rotated independent of the remaining portion of the housing 110 (e.g., including flush port 114 and fitting 116) to rotate the radial ultrasound probe within the dual-lumen catheter. The axial rotation of the flush port 114 with the housing 110 may orient the flush port 114 to a position that is accessible to the physician so that fluid may be flushed through the channel 115 into the internal chamber 111 and through the sheath 134. In one embodiment, a proximal end of the flush port 114 may be configured to receive a fluid source 150 (FIGS. 3B-3C) configured to flush fluid through the fluid channel 115 into the internal chamber 111 and through the sheath 134. In various embodiments, the first and second seals 122, 124 may prevent fluid from exiting the housing 110 (e.g., leaking) as the housing 110 is moved laterally and/or axially within the handle 140. Other adjustable ultrasound port and flush port techniques, features, and/or components that may be used herein are disclosed in U.S. Non-Provisional patent application titled “Devices to Access Peripheral Regions of the Lung for Direct Visualization with Tool Attachment”, attorney docket number 8150.0581, filed even date herewith, the entirety of which is incorporated herein by reference, and/or U.S. Non-Provisional patent application titled “Medical Imaging Devices, Systems, and Methods”, attorney docket number 8150.0746, filed even date herewith, the entirety of which is incorporated herein by reference.

All of the devices and/or methods disclosed and claimed herein can be made and executed without undue experimentation in light of the present disclosure. While the devices and methods of this disclosure have been described in terms of preferred embodiments, it may be apparent to those of skill in the art that variations can be applied to the devices and/or methods and in the steps or in the sequence of steps of the method described herein without departing from the concept, spirit and scope of the disclosure. All such similar substitutes and modifications apparent to those skilled in the art are deemed to be within the spirit, scope and concept of the disclosure as defined by the appended claims. 

What is claimed is:
 1. An adjustable probe assembly, comprising: a housing defining an internal chamber; an ultrasound port formed within a proximal portion of the housing, wherein the ultrasound port is coextensive with the internal chamber; a flush port disposed along a middle portion of the housing, the flush port defining a fluid channel therethrough, wherein the fluid channel is coextensive with the internal chamber; and a fitting disposed around a distal portion of the housing; wherein the housing is configured to rotate relative to the fitting to alter an axial position of the flush port relative to the fitting.
 2. The adjustable probe assembly of claim 1, wherein an outer surface of the distal portion of the housing includes a surface feature configured to frictionally engage an inner surface of the fitting.
 3. The adjustable probe assembly of claim 1, wherein the fitting includes a projection.
 4. The adjustable probe assembly of claim 1, further comprising a first seal disposed within a distal portion of the internal chamber and a second seal disposed within a proximal portion of the internal chamber.
 5. The adjustable probe assembly of claim 4, further comprising a bearing disposed within a proximal portion of the internal chamber and proximal to the second seal.
 6. The adjustable probe assembly of claim 5, wherein the housing and ultrasound port are configured to receive a radial ultrasound probe therethrough.
 7. The adjustable probe assembly of claim 6, wherein the bearing is configured to support rotation of the radial ultrasound probe.
 8. The adjustable probe assembly of claim 7, wherein the radial ultrasound probe includes a drive cable, and wherein the drive cable extends through the ultrasound port and is supported by the bearing.
 9. The adjustable probe assembly of claim 8, wherein the radial ultrasound probe includes a sheath, and wherein a proximal end of the sheath is disposed within the housing between the first and second seals.
 10. The adjustable assembly of claim 9, wherein the housing is configured to rotate relative to the fitting to alter an axial position of the radial ultrasound probe, and wherein the proximal portion of the housing is configured to rotate relative to a remaining portion of the housing to alter an axial position of the radial ultrasound probe.
 11. A system, comprising: a handle of a catheter; an adjustable probe assembly attached to the handle, wherein the adjustable probe assembly is configured to move laterally and axially relative to the handle; and a radial ultrasound probe extending through the adjustable probe assembly, the handle and a shaft of the catheter.
 12. The system of claim 11, wherein the adjustable probe assembly includes a housing defining an internal chamber, an ultrasound port formed within a proximal portion of the housing and a flush port disposed along a middle portion of the housing.
 13. The system of claim 12, wherein the radial ultrasound probe includes a drive cable, and wherein the drive cable extends through the ultrasound port.
 14. The system of claim 12, wherein the flush port includes a fluid channel configured to deliver fluid into the internal chamber and through a sheath of the radial ultrasound probe.
 15. The system of claim 14, further comprising a first seal disposed within a distal portion of the internal chamber and a second seal disposed within a proximal portion of the internal chamber, wherein the first and second seals prevent fluid introduced through the flush port from exiting the internal chamber.
 16. A method, comprising: attaching an adjustable probe assembly to a handle of a catheter such that a radial ultrasound probe attached to the adjustable probe assembly extends through the handle and a shaft of the catheter; adjusting a lateral position of the adjustable probe assembly relative to the handle; and adjusting an axial position of the adjustable probe assembly relative to the handle.
 17. The method of claim 16, further comprising re-adjusting the lateral position of the adjustable probe assembly relative to the handle to alter a lateral position of the radial ultrasound probe within a lumen of the catheter shaft.
 18. The method of claim 17, further comprising rotating a housing of the adjustable probe assembly relative to the handle to rotate the radial ultrasound probe within the lumen of the catheter.
 19. The method of claim 16, further comprising rotating a housing of the adjustable probe assembly relative to the handle to alter an axial position of a flush port disposed along a middle portion of the housing relative to the handle.
 20. The method of claim 19, further comprising introducing a fluid through the flush port and into an internal chamber of the adjustable probe assembly. 